Difference between revisions of "Hoid"

|abilities=[[Yolish Lightweaving]] <small>([[Yolen|Yolish]])</small>, {{tag+|Mistborn}}, {{tag+|Awakener}}, {{tag+|Lightweaver}} <small>([[Surgebinder]])</small>, {{tag+|Elantrian}}, {{tag+|worldhopping}}, [[Dawnshard]] <small>(formerly)</small>, [[#Attributes and Abilities|others]]

|bonded=[[Design]],{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}} unnamed [[seon]]{{book ref|sa4|78}}

{{spoilers|mb7|tress}}

Hoid has access to an Invested Art known as [[Yolish Lightweaving|Lightweaving]] that originates from Yolen prior to the Shattering of Adonalsium.{{wob ref|8909}} Lightweaving allows for the creation of optical and auditory illusions.{{book ref|sa2|part=ars}} This Lightweaving is much less restrictive than the later [[Illumination|Rosharan variant]],{{book ref|sa2|45}} and does not require a spren or Stormlight to function.{{wob ref|8909}} Hoid sometimes makes use of this ability in his disguises{{wob ref|5775}} although he has several ways of changing how he looks{{wob ref|5024}} including practical effects.{{epigraph ref|sa3|35}} He may also make use of it in some of his storytelling,{{wob ref|8329}} such as the pictures of [[Derethil]] and the ''[[Wandersail]]'' that Kaladin sees in the smoke when Hoid is telling him a story.{{book ref|sa1|57}}

Hoid was once a Dawnshard at some point.{{wob ref|14300}} His time holding it caused changes to his spiritweb in a similar manner to [[savant]]ism. These changes meant that long-term, Hoid found himself unable to inflict harm on himself or any others,{{book ref|ob|epilogue}}{{book ref|wor|45}} as well as unable to eat meat he believes was naturally produced (i.e., he could eat meat he believes was made in a lab or by magic).{{wob ref|14954}} His Dawnshard is in some way connected to the [[First Gem]],{{wob ref|14355}} his eponymous topaz.

Hoid has access to some manifestation of Investiture that allows him to manipulate the Spiritual attribute of [[Connection]]. The full extent of this ability is unknown, but its primary known use is to help Hoid speak the various languages of the worlds of the cosmere that he visits. The ability allows him to Connect to whatever land he is in, temporarily altering his Spiritual aspect to believe that he was raised in that place, allowing him to speak as a native.{{wob ref|3759}} While Hoid has learned naturally how to speak some foreign languages,{{wob ref|9012}} and is decent with languages, he desires to pass as a local oftentimes, which requires something beyond natural learning.{{wob ref|223}} Generally he makes use of the his Connection ability to communicate in foreign languages.{{wob ref|9012}} This ability is not without fault though, as when Hoid speaks naturally it will fill in local idioms and phrases on its own, but if Hoid is careless and focuses on a specific word or phrase the ability may fail and he will say the word verbatim in his own tongue{{wob ref|3759}} or it may be said in an odd way.{{wob ref|3583}} Hoid is an expert in using his Connection ability, but even he sometimes makes mistakes. This is the reason he occasionally slips up and may say words that confuse others,{{wob ref|8185}} such as "coin"{{book ref|sa2|epilogue}} and "bunny"{{book ref|sa2|59}} on Roshar. As Hoid has demonstrated the ability to fluently speak foreign languages before the knowledge of unsealed metalminds became widespread,{{book ref|elantris|58}} it is unlikely that he is making use of Feruchemical [[duralumin]] to manipulate Connection.

As a Yolish man, Hoid was not himself born with any [[BioChromatic Breath]].{{wob ref|3212}} However at some point Hoid has gained access to enough BioChromatic Breath to bring him to at least the Second Heightening.{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}}{{book ref|sa2|59}} This means Hoid has at least two hundred Breaths, which grant him the ability to recognize unsupressed Breath auras and judge about how much breath another Awakener has, as well as perfect pitch.{{book ref|wb|epilogue}}{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}} That is not to say that Hoid may not have reached a higher Heightening, just that the second Heightening is his minimum power level.{{wob ref|4655}} Hoid's level of skill with [[Awakening]] is still unknown, as he has only made use of it on one known occasion, when he Awakened a doll, causing it to walk.{{book ref|sa3|epilogue}} This makes it difficult to ascertain his knowledge of Commands or complex Awakenings. Hoid's level of control over Investiture does allow him to suppress his Breath aura, making it difficult to noticebe noticed by others. However, there are various methods of detecting Investiture that could circumvent this suppression.{{wob ref|3437}} Hoid's perfect pitch does aid him in tuning instruments and making music.{{book ref|sa2|59}} Additionally, holding Breath has allowed Hoid to somehow outsource some of his memory to said Breath. After [[Odium]]'s destruction of some of these Breaths in order to wipe his short-term memory, his level of Breath was reduced to just under the Second Heightening, resulting in a loss of perfect pitch.{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}}

Hoid became an [[Elantrian]] through winning a bet he made with [[Riina]], a member of The [[Ire]].{{book ref|Tress|64}} Despite his short time with the power, Hoid showed a notable aptitude for the manipulation of [[Aon]]s, being able to edit a complex [[AonDor]] "curse" placed on [[Charlie]] by Riina, who herself is a highly experienced wielder of AonDor.{{book ref|Tress|64}}{{book ref|Tress|epilogue}} Additionally, Hoid was shown to have spent significant time coveting this specific Invested art.{{book ref|Elantris|Postscript}}{{book ref|Tress|64}}

While telling stories with smoke he uses a flute, blowing the smoke, it may be [[Yolish Lightweaving]] that causes patterns and images to appear in smoke.

Hoid traveled to [[Sel]], likely making use of [[Devotion's Perpendicularity]] in [[Arelon]]. Hoid spoke to the [[skaze]], and seems to have made some sort of agreement with them hinging on his desire to become an Elantrian with the restoration of [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]].{{book ref|Elantris|Postscript}} Hoid disguised himself as a beggar, wrapped in bandages. He helped [[Sarene]] smuggle weapons into Elantris.{{book ref|Elantris|58}} Following the restoration of the city by Raoden, Hoid traveled to the Pool to meet a skaze. He removed his bandages, hoping to find himself transformed into an Elantrian, but the transformation had not occurred. The skaze ridiculed Hoid for his failure, but Hoid expressed his joy that secrets still remained unknown to him and then entered the Perpendicularity and transitioned to the [[Cognitive Realm]].{{book ref|Elantris|Postscript}}

Hoid arrived on [[Scadrial]], likely through Ruin's Perpendicularityperpendicularity in the Pitspits of Hathsinhathshin. He took up the guise of an informant, pretending to have bad eyesight in order to make himself less threatening to people seeking information from him.{{book ref|mb1|19}} At some point he became known to both [[Dockson]] and [[Ashweather Cett]].{{book ref|mb1|19}}{{book ref|mb3| 27}} [[Kelsier]], pretending to be a nobleman, contacted Hoid, requesting information on House Renoux. Hoid (closed shop, smoking tobacco) met with Kelsier on the streets of Luthadel and told him that House Renoux was buying large amounts of weapons and armor from various noble houses and that Lord Renoux was considering a marriage between Valette and Elend Venture. He also claimed that Renoux was rumored to have some sort of leverage on Venture and that he knew [[Shan Elariel]] to be a [[Soother]]. At some point following this, he left Scadrial to attend to other business, again likely via the Pits.{{wob ref|1552}}

Several centuries later,{{wob ref|14099}} Hoid traveled to [[Nalthis]] and took the role of a master storyteller. [[Lightsong]] summoned him to the [[Court of the Gods]], where he recounted the story of [[Vo]], explained the origin of the [[Hallandren]] God Kings, and answered Lightsong and [[Siri]]'s questions.{{book ref|wb|32}} He likely achieved perfect pitch while on this world by obtaining additional Breaths.{{book ref|wb|52}}{{book ref|sa2|59}}{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}} At some later point, [[Vivenna]] also met Hoid; she later described him as one of the only people on Nalthis that is cosmere-aware.

===== Prior Visits =====

===== The Way of Kings =====

In a departure from his previous appearances, Hoid plays a more conspicuous role in the events on [[Roshar]], since his goal is to become a Radiant.{{wob ref|13563}} Most often seen under the guise of Wit, [[Elhokar Kholin]]'s court jester, he influences [[Dalinar]], going so far as to ask Dalinar if he has ever heard the term "Adonalsium".{{book ref|twok|54}} He also tells [[Kaladin]] the story of [[Derethil]] and the ''[[Wandersail]]''.{{book ref|sa1|57}} During the course of the story, Hoid uses a special, ancient flute called a [[Trailman's flute]]. It is also likely that he uses his [[Yolish Lightweaving]] to cause the smoke from the fire to take the form of various elements from his story. [[Ishikk]] was hired by three men from the [[Seventeenth Shard]] to search for Hoid in the [[Purelake]]. Hoid was in [[Kholinar]] when [[Taln]] arrived to herald the coming of the [[Desolation]].{{book ref|twok|epilogue}}

===== Words of Radiance =====

=====Edgedancer =====

===== Oathbringer =====

Hoid would later go on to visit the planet of [[Lumar]],{{book ref|tress|4}}{{ref|group=fn|text=It can be assumed that this takes place after the events of other Cosmere books due to the references to and appearence of very advanced technology, relative to what has been seen before. Examples include computers,{{book ref|tress|64}}{{book ref|tress|60}} monitoring systems,{{book ref|tress|60}} extremely advanced Nalthian tech such as Awakened predictive circuits,{{book ref|tress|15}} spaceships,{{book ref|tress|60}} and rockets.{{book ref|tress|64}}}} a relative backwater in the cosmere.{{book ref|tress|42}} At some point he informed his friend, the [[kandra]] [[Ulaam]], of his intentions to visit the planet via letter.{{book ref|tress|22}} Still hoping to gain access to AonDor, he met with [[Riina]], who was living on the planet in the guise the Sorceress of the Midnight Sea.{{book ref|tress|22}} While visiting her island, Hoid agreed to a bet with her. Riina would be allowed to place him under a curse, and in exchange, if he could successfully break it, he would be granted admission to the Elantrians and the ability to use AonDor. The curse placed on him stripped him of his sense of humor, sense of style, sense of decorum, sense of purpose, intelligence, and sense of self.{{book ref|tress|15}} In order to break the curse, he would need to return to the central room of the Sorceress' ship on her island.{{book ref|tress|64}} As a part of the curse, he was also forbidden from telling anyone any information about his curse, how he had been given it, or how it could be broken. Riina finished her casting by sending Hoid far away from the Midnight Sea. During his time here, he likely came into possession of some Midnight spores.{{book ref|tress|28}}

Later, he was traded for by [[Fort]] for a large sum on the orders of Captain [[Crow]] who was interested in Hoid once she had heard that he had been cursed by the Sorceress.{{book ref|tress|23}} Hoid settled onto a routine onto the ''[[Crow's Song]]'', working as a cabin boy there as well,{{book ref|tress|15}} and kept fed despite his near-uselessness by Fort.{{book ref|tress|37}} Ulaam continued as his companion, and the two were suffered by the crew despite their oddities, due in part to Ulaam's skill with medicine.{{book ref|tress|18}} During his time on the ''Crow's Song'', Hoid gave midnight spores to [[Weev]], the ship's [[sprouter]], believing them to be licorice.{{book ref|tress|28}}

As the ''Crow's Song'' continued its journey into the Crimson Sea, Hoid continued to stymie Tress's attempts to wheedle more information out of him, unable to point at words on a sheet of paper that might be relevant to his curse. However, Tress realized that he she could glean information from his silences though, as he stopped speaking when the subject turned to the matter of his curse. This allowed him to indicate to her where Riina's island might be found on a map.{{book ref|tress|42}} As they traveled closer to the [[Midnight Sea]], Huck convinced the addled Hoid to dump much of the ship's food and water overboard, in an unsuccessful attempt to force the crew to return the to [[Emerald Sea]].{{book ref|tress|56}}

Later when the ''Crow's Song'' reached the Sorceress's island, the ship's crew carried Hoid into the Sorceress's ship to save Tress and Huck,{{book ref|tress|63}} who had realized that bringing Hoid to the center of the Sorceress's power would break the curse, and hopefully allow him to defeat her.{{book ref|tress|62}} When Hoid entered the tower, the terms of the bet were fulfilled and he was restored to his sense and transformed into an Elantrian. Hoid arrived just in time to use AonDor to throw up a shield and prevent Riina from cursing Tress. In the brief confrontation that followed, Riina judged that she was not confident enough that she could defeat Hoid to risk a direct confrontation with him, instead choosing to flee the planet and let Hoid, Tress, and Charlie go free. While Hoid was unable to directly remove the curse on Charlie, he was able to tweak the parameters so that Charlie could break the curse himself once he returned to Diggen's Point with Tress.{{book ref|tress|64}} Hoid may have lingered with them for some time giving Charlie some pointers on storytelling and music.{{book ref|tress|epilogue}}

Hoid would later share his adventure with Tress and Charlie as a story to an unknown audience, potentially made up of people from the planet [[First of the Sun]].{{book ref|tress|24}}{{book ref|tress|60}} It is unknown exactly when he tells this story relative to the events, but it is known to be within years or decades, but less than centuries.{{wob ref|15442}}

: Hoid was once friends with [[Rayse]],{{wob ref|2101}} but is now terrified of the Shard, and takes many precautions against him. However, he is not above taunting the Shard, as he feels him to be the most detestable person he has ever met, albeit preferably from a position of superiority. Prior to Rayse's death, Hoid had not met the Shard in person for more than a thousand years.{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}

: Hoid and [[Frost]] know each other well, having worked together in the past, and have a method of communicating with one another besides anthe [[Silverlight Mercantile]] interplanetary "postal service" that exists. Despite this, they are completely opposed on the courses of action that would be best for the cosmere. Frost, as a member of the Seventeenth Shard,{{epigraph ref|sa1|26}} believes that the best course of action is to let events play out as they will, especially in regard to [[Odium]]'s growing power and ambiton. However, as Hoid is a worldhopper and Frost is not, the former believes that he has a more informed stance, and plans to take more active action against the Shard.{{epigraph ref|sa2|60}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|66}}{{wob ref|4214}}